Dine LA

Had yet another amazing session at YogaGlo yesterday and was excited to find out that they not only offer multiple yoga classes a day, but next door FitnessGlo offers different type of fitness work outs as well!  Since On Demand no longer has Fitness Videos to watch at home, I've had to get creative with my work outs since I like to keep some variety and shock my body.  FitnessGlo will give me an opportunity to go out and do something new each week too...YAY!

This week continues Dine LA, one of my favorite times of the year, and it only happens twice.  I love food and trying new things so I literally save up money so I can go out and try a bunch of new restaurants and cuisines.

Tonight, my roommate, Jessica, and I decided to try out 208 Rodeo in Beverly Hills.  We both liked the menu and we had never been there before so it was the perfect time to try it.  We both couldn't make up our mind between the Caprese and Beet & Goat Cheese Salad so we got both and split them.  Caprese won for me, hands down!  I decided on the Seared Scalllops with a corn puree, arugula and sun dried tomatoes in a lemon vinaigrette.  WOW.  Not only was it a huge portion (SCORE!) but it was super good.  Jess got the same thing, and we were both happy with our selection, and that Squash Ravioli I considered, was not even an afterthought.  After Dinner it was Dessert time, so Jess went with the Chocolate Truffle cake, something I would normally choose but I decided to get the Cannoli with Chocolate Mousse, and I made a great decision on that.  It was huge and I took over half home with me.  It was a great Roommate Date and an awesome meal.

I've got a couple more days to enjoy Dine LA, so this week continues one of my favorite things to do...Eat :)

*And I think it's about time to finish up that Cannoli.*

Molly Malone's and a Sunday Stroll

Finally, got to see one of my best friends, Mike Weiss, play at Molly Malone's last night!  The last time I saw him perform he played an Acoustic Show at The Roosevelt Hotel for a Charity Event and while he's been playing all over LA for the past year, I've been working for every single show he has.

So last night was the night!  I got to Molly Malone's in West Hollywood a little before 9 pm and at 9:30, Mike Weiss, and his all star band were rocking the stage!  Words could not express how incredible his performance was, in fact, his CD doesn't even do him justice.  From his powerful and fun lyrics, to the wonderful melodies and beats, his performance was top notch and the best I have ever seen him!

Check out Mike's Music at mikeweissmusic.com

He sang all originals but had to include a cover, of course!  Mike and I have sang Karaoke many a time together, usually 'Cruisin,' but tonight he blew the crowd away with Mika's 'Grace Kelly.'  I can't wait for his next show, and I'll be sitting front row again for sure :)

Today I enjoyed the beautiful 75 degree day here in LA with a nice walk and fresh air.  I love walking in the late afternoon on Sunday's, all the kids playing in the park, open house signs, less traffic, and of course, the beautiful view of Century City & Hollywood from the top of the hill in Mar Vista where I run the stairs.  It's a perfect time for me to reflect on the past week and success of the week ahead.   It's my Sunday Stroll. 

*Click here to check out Mike's music!* www.mikeweissmusic.com

Under The Sea

I got back to LA late on Thursday night after my trip to Spokane to shoot for ILF Media and I had an audition on Friday for a Theater Production of 'The Little Mermaid.'  I was really excited for it, because it's being presented as a Children's Musical, using the Stage Production of it, as well as the Disney Movie.

The audition was in Santa Monica and I started off by singing 'Baby Love,' and then did a scene from the movie with the Director reading opposite of me.  S* & I had a great conversation about her company and how she does Children's Productions, also teaches classes and does Children's Parties.  Since I love kids, this is the perfect job for me!  I felt really good about the audition so hopefully I'll get to perform as Ariel for the little ones!!

Last night I headed up to North Hollywood for a Game Night with Dale & Thi and some of their friends.  We played games till after 3 in the morning...and boy did it get intense!  Thi makes the competition fierce and we had two teams ready for the first round of Cranium.  Karen, Dale, and I made a valiant effort but Thi, Jenny, and Jared did all too well with their Creative cards and beat us.  We played Apples to Apples next and it's such a fun game to play with a big group of people who don't know each other very well because it's a guessing game as to what the judge will choose.  Serious or comedy...it's a crap shoot!  Karen won Apples and Apples and shortly after we had 2 new guests.  Megan had come from a party where they played Mafia, which I haven't played since I was in grade school, but was always such a fun group game.  That didn't go over too well with the crew so we went back to Cranium and this time with Megan on our team  we won!  Even with Justin helping out the other team they couldn't compare to our master Humdingers!  We finished off the night with Taboo which got a little crazy, and in our final round we killed it!!  Next thing we know, it's 3:30 in the morning and time for everyone to head home!  Super fun and eventful Game Night!  Who's hosting next?!

The best thing about Game Night with a group of super creative people is how effective the games are at honing in skills that can help us all out in our daily lives, for the actors and creatives of the room, charades, singing or drawing helps us work our brain muscles while the intellectuals can figure out the polygraph questions and use reasoning to figure out the data heads.  Adults playing games...it's like we're all kids again!

Fell in Love in Spokane...

I arrived in Spokane, Washington, around 8 pm and very excited to take a breath of fresh air, check out the snow, and get to work!  

As I got off the airplane and headed to the baggage claim to meet me driver, there Steve was, holding a white placard with 'Ms. Wegner,' on it.  Whoa!  That was for me :D  He escorted me to the town car, got me a bottle of water and we were off to The Davenport Hotel in Downtown Spokane.  He talked to me about the History of the town, pointing out certain buildings and the celebrities he's driven around and about 15 minutes later we were at the Hotel.

WOW!  After I checked in I stopped in the lobby to take in the rooms around me, high ceilings, beautiful architecture, lavish furniture and paintings, it was so exquisite, I could barely believe it and kept thinking to myself, am I really this lucky!  Up the elevator I went to the 9th floor and room 909.  I walked into a room with dark mahogany furniture, a HUGE King Size Bed, and a marble bathroom with a glass shower and gold fixtures.  I had a view of Spokane and the train tracks (where a train came by every 5-10 minutes from 10 pm - 7 am).

I wanted to get in a quick work-out and take a swim in the pool so I could get a good nights sleep.  After my half hour run I swam laps in the pool.  It was empty and so serene with the painted scenes on all the walls.

I rinsed off and after changing headed down to the Peacock Lounge to have a glass of wine and study my script.  The Lounge was buzzing and after a few sips I realized I was pretty sleepy so I went back to the room, wine in hand, and took a nice long shower and cuddled into a bathrobe before I finished my wine and had everything memorized and prepared for the next day!

View from my room with a train rolling by!

The bed was so comfy and I literally sank in to the pillow top mattress but was so excited for my shoot I barely slept.  So I packed up my stuff and headed down to the lobby to grab a bagel and a Chai Tea Latte.  The producer picked me up and we were off to the ILF Media Building.

I met the crew I would be working with and was off to wardrobe to try on my outfit for the shoot.  After all the wardrobe was settled I got into the make-up chair while Amy worked on my hair first and then my make-up.  She was super sweet and an awesome artist!  When I was all glammed up I went onto the set with my green screen back-drop and ran a rehearsal with the director.

You'll be seeing me in the video for Kaplan College as one of their Spokesmodel's, talking about the Radiology field.  The shoot was quick and easy, and while we did the whole shoot two different ways, one with Radiology and the other with Radiography, it took just over an hour!  I was booked until 3 pm and we were finished by 12:15.  I had a blast on set and everyone was so fun to work with.

We all had lunch together and then Amy fixed my hair up for the plane ride back to LA and I chatted with Jim, our Director, about trips to Europe and New York, and then it was off to the airport.  Jim gave me a mini-tour of Spokane, taking me to a beautiful waterfall that during the Spring is in full force!  I fell in love.  The city was so beautiful, I had one of those moments where I could see myself living here at some point in time :)

I'm in love :)

I had a long wait in the airport and was finally on my way back to LA at 5 pm with a stop in Boise and Oakland before my final leg to Los Angeles.  A very long day, but worthwhile in so many ways.  I felt incredibly special the entire time and so thankful!

Let's keep this momentum going!!

Free Wi-Fi in Oakland

I'm currently en route to Spokane, Washington, for my Shoot with ILF Media!  I checked out the weather and it's going to be in the 30's tonight...YAY!!  So excited to see some more snow because I did not get enough of it while I was home in Wisconsin for Christmas.

Lucky for me, my audition material was my shooting script, so memorizing it has been quick and easy.  We have our shoot tomorrow morning and I fly back to LA at 5 pm, so it will be a very short day tomorrow as well.  

Last night Thi and I celebrated our new jobs over a Dine LA Dinner at The Palm in West Hollywood.  Dine LA is basically Restaurant Week here in LA.  A bunch of Restaurants throughout LA offer a prix fix menu that includes an Appetizer, Entree, (sometimes a side), and a Dessert for a set price based on the restaurants normal prices.  I haven't had steak since I was home over Christmas so I ordered the filet, asparagus, an arugula salad, and chocolate cake, while Thi ordered their famous 3 pound lobster!  Over wine, the time flew by and 3 hours later, closing the restaurant down, we were packing food to go and saying goodbye.  A great celebration and dinner with one of my best girls :)

This morning I had a wonderful e-mail from my Mom, wishing me luck, congratulating me on this new acting job, and continued success, as well as achieving one of my dreams...couldn't have been a better way to start my day!

So here I am in Oakland, waiting for my connection, taking in the beautiful bay as the sun sets.  I could get used to this...

The Famous Viper Room

I've never been to The Viper Room; it's world famous, and in my opinion, is something every person in LA needs to experience at least once!  

Thi, Dale, and I at The Viper Room

Lucky for me, Neil was playing a show at The Viper Room Acoustic Lounge on Sunday Night.  I had a couple friends who were coming to the show, one of my best girl's, Thi, who has incredible style, so I knew this was an opportunity to get all gussied up, and play up my rocker chic vibe since we were going out in Hollywood to a fabulous venue!  Even better, we had access to the whole club, so while the Acoustic Lounge was downstairs with it's own bar and drink specials, the upstairs had the famous stage and big open dance floor.  Most people who have been to the Viper Room have a really good story to tell, but I'll leave that up to you to find out on your own!  The band playing upstairs was pretty good but my friends and I wanted to be sure to have a place to sit for Neil's show so we enjoyed the other artist before Neil in the Lounge.

Neil went on at 10 pm and got to play for almost an hour.  Always playing his own amazingly written songs, and adding a couple new covers to his play list for the evening, there was something for everyone.  Much to my surprise, a short intro and then a few familiar chords, and I got my 'Everlong!'  Absolutely amazing!  After that, it became effortless for Neil, and waiting for an encore, the audience got quite a treat.  He started playing Poison's 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn!'  And by the time he got to the chorus, the entire room was singing...you can see for yourself here :)

All in all, we had a blast at the show, and it's going to take a lot to top this Viper Room visit!  Rock on!

What's for Dinner? Part 2.

As I sat watching 'Chopped' last night with my roommate, I realized I could probably watch Cooking Shows all day long.  No joke.  I find them fascinating.  I love being creative with my food and what I make, and I get inspired by these chefs coming up with $10 Dinners, 30 Minute Meals, and Restaurant Chef Secrets.

It inspired me to create a meal based off one of the shows!  While I really want to try a Gnocchi from scratch, that's best suited for another day, because as I'm getting over a cold, Soup sounds perfect and delicious!  

Carrot Soup has been one of my favorites ever since I first had it a couple years ago.  Both my Grandma's used to make soup that I would help with.  Grandma Jacoby would make Bean Soup in a creamy broth, and I would pick beans from her own garden, and cut them before she would get started on everything.  Grandma Wegner would make Rainbow Chicken Soup, and I'd be helping her put the ingredients together, mix everything up and see how beautiful it was when it was finished.  While both are amazing, Carrot Soup is perfection.  

I decided on a Carrot Orange Ginger Soup and went on a hunt at the Grocery Store to get all the ingredients I needed...carrots, oranges, chicken broth, ginger root, etc.  I also decided to do this Banana Dessert I had seen on $10 dinners so I picked up everything for that as well.  I've never made a Soup on my own before, so this was really exciting, and since this isn't your typical Soup, and I was going to do my own take on it, I was a little nervous.

Here are the ingredients needed for tonight's 'What's For Dinner?'
Carrot Soup
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 pound of Carrots
1 Onion
1 Orange (and the Zest of the Orange)
3 Garlic Cloves
1 Piece of Ginger
1/4 Cup White Wine
1 Bay Leaf (or a 1/2 tsp)
3 Cups Chicken Stock
Salt & Pepper
4 tbsp Sour Cream

Banana's & Sweet Cream (based off a Recipe from $10 Dinners by Melissa D'Arabian)
2 tbsp Butter
4 Banana's
1 Orange (and the Zest of the Orange)
2 tbsp Sugar
Salt
4 tbsp Sour Cream
2 tbsp Brown Sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Look at that color!!

For the Carrot Soup, heat olive oil in a big pot, then add in your carrots (peel and rough chop, I cut them in quarters) and your onion, also roughly chopped.  Let them sweat and soften for about 5 minutes.  While you're doing that, get your garlic, ginger, and orange zest together.  I zested one orange using my multi-grater, a zester is preferred.  PLEASE be careful when using a grater, I kept tapping the grater with the palm of my hand and actually cut myself because it's so sharp (duh, it grates vegetables and cheese, I don't know what I was thinking using my hand.)  Then I juiced the orange for later.  The ginger root was an interesting ingredient.  I absolutely love ginger so I wanted that zing in my soup.  When buying ginger root, look for one that is smooth, unblemished and almost see-through.  You don't want moldy ginger.  Clean the ginger and peel the skin, then I cut it into cubes.  Once the vegetables have started to sweat add your garlic, orange zest, and half your ginger (you'll want to add the other half to the blender when you're blending for a fuller flavor).  After a minute or two, the wonderful scents should be coming through and add your white wine (I used a pinot grigio) to de-glaze the pot.  Then add in the chicken stock, your bay leaf and bring that to a boil.  After it's boiling, lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and tender, while stirring occasionally.  Next, you'll need a Blender or Food Processor, so once your vegetables are tender, let the mixture cool for 5 minutes, then blend or process your soup along with the rest of your ginger in thirds until smooth.  Once you've blended the whole pot put back on stove and heat adding in the orange juice, salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream.  This recipe made 4 bowls.  It was a hearty, healthy, sweet and tasty Soup that I was really proud of!
*Tip: This soup can also be served cold!

I turned my flash off so you could better see the texture :)

Before I started the Banana Dessert I made the Sweet Cream.  I used 4 tablespoons of Reduced Fat Sour Cream, added in the brown sugar, cinnamon and the zest of another orange.  I mixed that well and put that into the fridge to keep cool while I heated a pan and used one tablespoon of margarine and a tablespoon of cinnamon margarine.  I cut the banana's in half lengthwise and crosswise.  Once the butter was melting I added the banana's in and started sauteing them until they caramelized.   I juiced another orange and added that to the pan along with the sugar and salt, let that cook for another 2 minutes until the banana's were browned and soft, and the sugar and orange juice had formed a glaze.  I served the banana's on a plate with a dollop of the sweet cream.  It made a whole lot of dessert but I would make more of the sweet cream because it wasn't enough for all the leftover banana's.  It was a really quick and easy dessert that was awesome.  I would never have guessed that the sour cream could be put into a dessert but it was awesome and paired perfectly with the banana's.

All in all, I was really proud of my meal, the Soup from scratch, and trying something new.  I know both my Grandma's would be really proud of me :)

Keep the Crowd Happy!

Before I get into the madness that was Karaoke last night, I got creative with my Dinner.  I bought Quesadilla's the other day, and while I did a BBQ Turkey and Parmesan Quesadilla last week, this week I made a Veggie Quesadilla with Peppers, Onions, Tomatoes, and Mushrooms.  The balsamic glaze and olive oil I used to cook my vegetables in became the dressing for my salad...delish!  The Quesadilla was a little difficult to eat, (I should have added more cheese) and because I had so many vegetables, but it was really good, and very healthy.  Creations in the Kitchen!

What a busy Karaoke night last night!  I haven't had a crowd like that since I started working Karaoke 9 months ago...it was insanity!  Lucky for me, I had a couple friends come in and keep the crowd calm with their amazing song choices as well as making me laugh during the stressful night.  

We had so many crowd favorite songs like, 'Baby Got Back, 'Whomp! There It Is,' and 'Poison.'  The whole bar was singing, we had dancers, we had Birthdays, we had Harmonica playing, and everyone had a blast!  I always know I have a happy crowd when people want to buy the Karaoke Host shots because 'She's awesome!'  YAY :)

Since we were so busy, I only got to sing a couple times, but was able to try something new and do Fefe Dobson's, 'Everything.'  She's a rocker from the early 2000's with a pop edge.  The crowd was much more into my 'Red Neck Woman,' but it's my resolution, so new songs will continue!  Everyone had a great time singing and it was a very successful night.

Unemployment Trickery

If any of you have ever had to file an Unemployment Claim, you know how difficult it is; especially in California where the Unemployment rate just recently dropped to 11.3% from 11.7%.  Unfortunately, at the beginning of 2011 our wonderful family at Saint's & Sinner's were all let go, so they could re-vamp the bar with new bartenders and new clientele.  Apparently that didn't work considering Saint's & Sinner's officially closed at the end of April.  Alas, Oakfield's has been opened in it's place.  I have yet to visit, as it's still too hard because of the memories, but will go in at some point and give it a fair shot.

Filing for Unemployment last year felt like a nightmare!  It took weeks before I heard anything, they had the wrong information, and when I did finally get it, the amount I was getting barely covered my rent, not to mention any other bills I had!  I feel incredibly sorry for the families that have to go through tough times, trying to send their children to school, or visit the doctor when they're sick, because insurance is even more expensive, if they can even afford that.  

Since I'm no longer at Cabo, I re-applied for unemployment, hoping for the next month or two that I could at least have some sort of income coming in while I'm looking for a new Bartending job, while still giving myself time to concentrate on Acting.  Clearly, my focus on Acting is working since I've had a slew of auditions, and finally booked a nice well-paying job!  I do love to keep busy though, so I need to get back to Bartending a few shifts a week.  

Instead of an Unemployment Check, you now receive your benefits on a Credit Card, which is automatically updated every 2 weeks with your payment.  It seems like a good idea, but I can't pay my rent with a credit card so you have the option of having them transfer it to your bank account.  

Just recently, I received a pay stub saying that was my last check as my claim was expired.  Expired?  I just applied a month ago.  How is that possible?  (I'm pretty sure they just continued my claim from S&S, and didn't re-file for Cabo) but I was about to find out...so I call the Unemployment Office on Wednesday.  They are closed at 4 pm.  What?  Seems pretty early to close, but I make it my mission on Thursday to get it taken care of.  From the hours of 10 am until 4 pm, I spend every 20 minutes calling the Office.  Sometimes I get 'We are currently receiving a high volume of calls, please try again later.'  And then the line goes dead.  Then other times, I get all excited because I get to press 1 for English, 6 to Speak with a Representative, 7 to get Through to a Representative, and 3 to Talk to a Representative about General Information, and then 'We are currently receiving a high volume of calls, please try again later.'  Damn you for tricking me into thinking I was really going to get to talk to someone that time!  That happened for 6 hours yesterday.  I try again today and the same thing continues.  Apparently, us unemployed folk need to work at the Unemployment Office so they have enough people on staff to take the calls!!

So yes, Unemployment Office...you have fooled me this week.  But next week, it's on...

Musical Fever

Had another wonderful Karaoke Night last night at Gabe's!  We had a full list of people ready and waiting to sing.  It was definitely a more moody night with slow ballads and emotional songs, but sometimes those nights are just the ticket to turn a bad mood into a good one!

I'm continuing my new song resolution and actually got some more people on the 'trying new songs train.'  Woo hoo...all aboard for being spontaneous and creative!  There was a Musical Theatre Theme in the air with people singing Elvis and Frank Sinatra.  I got an idea to try 'I Dreamed a Dream' from Les Miserables when a Karaoke regular sang 'On My Own.'  I love putting together super sets when you get a couple people singing the same artist.  It was a challenge and I'm proud I tried something new and musically difficult.  Neil stopped by so we sang 'Another Day' from Rent, something we haven't sang in a while.

I would love to put together a Karaoke Theme Night but everyone loves what they're comfortable with, so it might be slightly difficult.  But I think it would be a blast and everyone would get a kick out of a Gender Bender Night (girls sing songs that have a male lead, and guys sing songs that have a female lead), or an 80's Rock Night, or even Musical Theatre.  It's a guilty pleasure, and everyone has one song from a Musical that they love.  Make it fun, because that's what Karaoke is all about!

Chai Love

Today I spent part of my morning working on memorizing a script for an audition I had this afternoon.  It was for a Car Rental Agency out of Canada.  It's too bad they weren't looking for the Canadian accent because I could have laid that on, nice and thick with my Wisconsin upbringing.  Alas, American Standard (thank you Miss Becky Foster) is what all Hosts are told to use.

I avoided most traffic to and from my Audition by taking some side streets and arrived in Hollywood with plenty of time to spare.  The Casting Director recognized me from another audition and smiled, and asked me to read the spot.  I did it twice, felt like I had great energy and a positive attitude, and was in and out in 3 minutes!  Every actor always hopes that any job they recently book, carries over into your auditions with confidence and renewed sense of optimism and achievement.  Just a nice confidence boost!

When I book a job, I usually stop drinking and tend to eat a little healthier to get myself in prime shape and state of mind to perform my best during the shoot.  While I enjoy a glass of wine every once in a while during my shoot prep, tonight I decided to forgo the alcohol and go the Chai Tea route.  I always forget how good it tastes until it hits my lips.  Perfect for my voice, amazing taste, and healthy...you can't go wrong.

Bring on the Chai Tea for the next week...oh yeah!

*Can you tell the new season of 'Jersey Shore' has started?*

What's for Dinner?

I had another great Yoga Session today and since I dedicated my practice to Sucess after finding out I booked a job shooting next week, I figured I should make a nice meal and enjoy a celebratory glass of wine.  I experimented with a new recipe tonight and took pictures during the steps so you all could see what was happening along the way!

Here are the ingredients needed for tonight's 'What's for Dinner?'

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

3 Garlic Cloves

Salt

Pepper

Balsamic Vinegar

1 Cup Tomatoes

1 Cup Mushrooms

1/3 Cup Onions

12 Shrimp

3/4 Cup Shell Pasta

6 Ravioli's

2 Tbsp Alfredo Sauce (Optional)

1 Cup Arugula (Or Spinach or Basil)

1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese

Start a pot of water and once it's boiling add in your pasta.  While you're boiling the water, heat the olive oil in a pan and add the garlic cloves.  When the aroma hits add in the onions and let that heat up for a couple minutes.  Add the shrimp and tomatoes to the pan and let the tomatoes start to make a paste.  Add salt and pepper (I use a grinder and do a couple turns of each.)  Then add in your mushrooms and 2 circles of Balsamic Vinegar.  Let that continue to cook and you'll notice it's starting to turn into a sauce.  You can add in a little Alfredo sauce to thicken it, and when I added that in, I did another circle of Balsamic Vinegar and an 1/8 cup of Parmesan Cheese.  You're going to want to chop the arugula because otherwise it will get stringy; I'd do the same thing when using spinach if the leaves are bigger.  Put into a serving dish and sprinkle the leftover Parmesan Cheese on top.  This could have served two people especially if you were having an appetizer or salad with it.  The end result was a very flavorful sauce and a meal that was still light and healthy!

Dinner & Wine

All you need is a chance...

So before I get into this entry, yes, I am devastated by the Packers Play-Off loss yesterday.  They had an amazing season, and unfortunately, just didn't play the way they did during the regular season.  They're defending Superbowl Champs for the next three weeks and had an awesome year, I'm just bummed it ended before we got a chance to win back-to-back Superbowls.

There was a light at the end of the tunnel yesterday though, and that was the fact I had another Video Submission Audition to send in.  Neil helped me out with the recording again, and ended up with a few outtakes in our 5 filmed clips.  I think my camera-man got his jolly's out of distracting me.

Lyndsey's Blooper Reel

After pulling myself together, I got a great video out of it and sent it in that night!  And sides are a lot easier to memorize when you didn't have a Bloody Mary for breakfast :p

This morning I got a phone call from Ilf Media (the company I have been sending these video submissions to for almost the past year) and I booked a job!  I'll be traveling to Spokane, Washington next week to shoot with them.  It's my first job in 2012 and a huge opportunity for me, as this spot will be airing Nation-Wide!  Persistence and patience certainly pays off as I've been waiting to shoot with this company for almost a year and finally I get a break!

Cheers to all and for continued success this year!

Blueberry Bombs

Last night my lovely girls, Bree & Kristina, and I went to Bar Pico to see Neil play an Acoustic Set!  Lots of people from Gabe's showed up to support him, which was super exciting since he's so talented and is now sharing it with the world!  He played a couple new songs, and did spot on performances of 'Sandy' from "Grease," 'Unspoken,' which was a crowd favorite, and 'A Perfect World.'  It's always wonderful to be able to hear live music and be around good friends.  We toasted to a great show and a wonderful New Year with Blueberry Bomb shots.  So delicious.

After Neil's show we all headed over to Gabe's for some Karaoke action and of course celebratory shots.  Marcus who started Karaoke late so he could make it to Neil's show had a full house and long list for Karaoke but was able to get all of us up and singing 'Loveshack' and 'You Oughta Know,' because it is every woman's anthem at some point in her life :)

The night ended with a Girl's Slumber Party, Pizza, and Whiskey Coke's served in wine glasses of course, because we're fun like that, and laughs at a wild and fun night.  I'm pretty darn lucky to have such wonderful friends in my life.  Don't take your friendships for granted.  Appreciate those who are there for you with a smile on their face and a shoulder to cry on...should you need it.

Daisy Duke does Traffic

I always am so excited when I find out I have an audition, but I always dread and worry about one thing...when it is, and where I'm going.  Trust me, there are places you don't want to go at certain times of the day in LA.  If you have to drive to North Hollywood from Culver City for an audition at 4 pm you better be on the road around 2:30 because it's probably going to take over an hour to get there.  And getting back home from that audition could easily take 2 hours with traffic.  

This Summer, everyone feared Carmegeddon as the 405 was going to be shut down for 48 hours.  For those of you who don't live in LA or don't know what traffic is like, the 405 and 10 are the two major freeways around LA, and if one of them is shut down, it feels like the world is ending.  While Carmegeddon has come and gone (and really wasn't that big of a deal at all) traffic on an every day basis is pretty much always ridiculous.  
 

Some people enjoy their time on the road, in the solace of their car, and find it relaxing.  I do not.  I don't think I have Road Rage, but sometimes people are just idiots when they're driving, as if they really don't have a license, or don't know how to drive and be considerate in general.  Driving for me means who can I call to keep me company while I sit and stare as the cars pass me by.  Thank goodness for Bluetooth in my car so I am completely hands-free in my new Accord Coupe :)

I had an audition today in Studio City at 12:50 pm.  Score!  And it only took 35 minutes to get there!  Now, Daisy Duke was the title of this blog for a reason...my audition was for a TV Show Promo Advertisement.  As I walked into the room and smelled the gorgeous calla-lily's, I looked around at the 20 girls, all dressed in wedges, shorts, and tank tops.  Blondes, brunette's, redheads, and everything in between.  Daisy Duke we were.
 

I'm always in awe when I go to an audition and they give you a specific look, and you have a room filled with Michelle Rodriguez types (tan, brown hair and eyes) and me, because we all know I'm German/Luxembourg and Irish.  Thankfully, my tan, green eyes and dark hair have given me an open ethnicity, so I can go out on the Latin or Middle Eastern castings.  The "Michelle Rodriguez" casting I went to a couple months ago was similar to the Daisy Duke one, except everyone was in jeans, chucks, and a black tank top.  At least we know everyone is listening :)  This audition, was just a style and easy to follow as I looked through my Summer clothes for the perfect pair of shorts and v-neck t shirt, keeping it simple and classy.

After hearing the details of the project, the audition part was fairly simple, be bubbly and smiley while a photographer took a couple photos.  Lyndsey being a Cheerleader, no problem!  As always, it's just a waiting game to hear back.  I can't imagine how hard it would be to choose just a few girls out of hundreds; the end result, you need to stand out in someway and be memorable.  Blowing fire...you can bet that's on my resume!  And have a little faith, that's what I do. 

As I headed back home after my audition going South on the 405 I felt bad for the cars just sitting there on the opposite side of the median waiting to move just inches in the Northern direction.  Lucky for me, I had my Prince CD playing, the windows rolled down and sun on my face...I didn't mind the 25 minute drive and music today, and maybe those people didn't mind it either.

Sweet Caroline

Last night was Karaoke at Gabe's and I'm continuing my resolution by trying new things and being more creative by trying out new Karaoke songs at work.  Yesterday, I helped out a guest with 'Sweet Caroline.'  It's always a crowd favorite, everyone can sing along, but unfortunately, for JJ*, those cocktails had caught up to him, and I was stuck singing the whole song.  A nice surprise was the fact that the song is actually fun to lead the crowd with as well.  I also tried a Leona Lewis song out at the end of the night.  

Later on a bunch of my old S&S crew showed up and sang a few songs.  We took lots of pictures and it's always great catching up with everyone.  I know everything happens for a reason, but Saint's & Sinner's was a home to a lot of us, and I'm still sad to not have my 'home' here in LA anymore.

Today I went to Santa Monica to check out some frames at Michael's.  I have three Floral Prints that are black and white, and for the past few years, I've been displaying them 'college' style on my walls.  I decided with part of my Grandparent's Christmas Gift that it was time to frame them.  The style of my bedroom is simple, modern, and classic with pops of color.  So the black and white photo theme fits perfectly with my black bookcase, silver TV stand, black sconces, and brown bedroom furniture.  The Floral Prints face opposite an amazing painting my brother did, Kandinsky style, with purple, white and fuchsia bubbles on a purple background.  That matched my dark purple comforter set and purple draped curtain.  I recently added a beautiful silver drape over my window as well.  I always feel like when you finally get settled in and have everything decorated, it's time to move out.  I'm hoping that's not the case...especially considering I have so much organizing of my closet to do ;)

Now comes the hard part...I have to mount these huge framed prints on my wall, and that there is my challenge!

I have clothes in my closet from High School!

I really don't think of that as a bad thing.  It's nice to be able to fit into those jeans or dresses and find clothes that are now back in style!  When shopping I tend to buy things that will stand the test of time, classic and fun pieces, that if taken care of, can be worn for years.  Just this year, on my 28th Birthday, I wore a purple button-down shirt, that I wore for my Junior year of High School's School Picture!!  It was a perfect cover-up to complete the outfit I was wearing while enjoying Mimosa's by the pool with friends.

Drinking Mimosa's on my 28th Birthday!  I'll try to find my Junior Year School Picture from High School where I'm wearing my now infamous purple button-down :)

As I was doing some organizing yesterday, I had to climb up into my closet for my clear plastic bins where I have receipts, bills, casting notices, scripts, and cards from the past 6 years of being in LA.  It made me realize, I really need to do some organizing of these bins, considering I can barely close them.  Do I really need my grocery or gas receipts from December 2005?  Or oil change receipts from Sophia, my 2002 Solara, that I don't even drive anymore?  Probably not.  

It's imperative that I go through my closet, dressers, and room to just organize things that I no longer need, use, or should have.  Thankfully, my apartment is equipped with huge closets in both bedrooms.  I have 5 closet doors in my room alone, plus, a laundry closet/shelf thing.  I watch those shows on how to organize your closet, or get rid of things, or give them away, and somehow I'm just attached to everything I have.  I don't think of myself as a Pack Rat, I just want to keep all these things for their memory.  My Mom marvels at the fact I don't need to do laundry for a month, sometimes two because I have so many clothes...yes, that means I have over 70 pairs of underwear, and a huge bag from Victoria's Secret that I keep filling with more when I get new pairs.  Probably not even a good idea to get me started on shoes because under my bed, I know exactly where each pair is and what's exactly in the box, and the bottoms of my closets are lined with shoes and boxes of shoes, and more new ones that haven't even been worn.

So maybe I have a problem?  But I'm not spending obnoxious amounts on filling my closets.  I'm a thrifty shopper, who looks for a sale, or waits for it.  I don't need that hot pair of shoes until they're on sale.  That fun dress that's $100 at Macy's, well, I can find one just like it at one of my Boutique Stores for $20.  And yet, I have a closet full of purses of every shape, size, and color, and swimsuits in all colors of the rainbow, depending on my mood. Certain items needs back-ups and I'm just preparing myself for that day!

How do I fix this problem?  I certainly won't hire anyone, because they'll make me give away stuff that is too important to me, I need someone with an open mind, who appreciates the value of my 'stuff,' but won't have any connection to keep it, unless I tell that person about the memories.  So I'm instilling the help of my Mom.  The next time she comes to visit me, we're tackling Lyndsey's Closets.

So my creative outlet for the day, was the beginning of the organization process, admitting I have a problem, and coming up with a plan to fix it and make space.  It's going to be a challenge :)

Work-outs & Eats

It was another gorgeous day in LA today...75 degrees and sunny made my outdoor work-out fly by with my 4 mile run and 6 sets of stairs.  And if my 2 hour work-out wasn't enough for one day, I decided to go to my first hour long Yoga Class of 2012.  I had an amazing practice at Yogaglo in Santa Monica!  The more I take actual classes versus watching them on FitTV helps me perfect my poses; it's awesome when you're in a pose or going through a vinyasa and the teacher tweaks one thing and you think, 'Well, wow, this is how it's supposed to feel!'  My goal is to take at least 2 Yoga Classes a month, and I'm really going to try for once a week!

After my calorie burning day, I needed to eat something healthy, and this is where the creative part of my day came into play.  This is the first of many recipes I hope to share with everyone.  Basically, I had a bunch of stuff in my fridge and decided to throw it all together to make a satisfying yet healthy meal, created on the fly.

I started off with an arugula salad with fresh roma tomatoes, onions, and mushrooms, and did a roasted red pepper dressing.  That was the easy part ;)

For the main course I started off with a little olive oil, some balsamic vinegar and fresh garlic.  One of the greatest kitchen utensils I've discovered is a garlic press, thank you Caleb!  I put all ingredients in a frying pan at a low heat to pull out the aroma of the garlic, then I added in a pesto sausage from Trader Joe's and some minced onion.  Then I added roma tomatoes and mushrooms (I had a lot in my fridge).  I let the sausage cook and onions soften, and once everything was heated, added in just a little Three Cheese pasta sauce to have some actual sauce.  You could just add in more tomatoes and a little water or red wine if you wanted to keep it completely fresh, and I didn't have to add any salt to anything!  I had already boiled some water and thrown in some cheese ravioli's and shell pasta.  After draining the water from the pasta I always toss the pasta in the sauce right on the stove to keep it warm.  I put a little parmesan cheese on top and voila, a very filling, but healthy meal.

I'm going to guess on the actual measurements but this is about what I used.

Almost 2 Cups loosely packed Arugula 

2 Tbsp Roasted Red Pepper Dressing

1 Roma Tomato, cut up

1 Cup White Button Mushrooms, cut up

About a 1/4 Cup of Onions

1/2 a Pesto Sausage

A dollop of Olive Oil

3 Circles of Balsamic Vinegar (circle the pan)  I get the jug of Balsamic Vinegar from Trader Joes for $4.99, super inexpensive and lasts forever.  I love getting creative with it!

3 Cloves of Garlic

About a 1/3 Cup of Three Cheese Pasta Sauce

1/2 Cup Shell Pasta

10 Ravioli's (I definitely could have used less, I was full after 6)

And that's everything you need for the salad and pasta dish!

The Finished Product!

Enjoy & Namaste.

A Were...Fish?

A were...what?

A werefish.

Yes, that's what my scene partner turned into at my audition yesterday.  I rehearsed 3 different scenes for the series yesterday, and fortunately, was able to do all three at my audition.  We did a little interview session beforehand and I got along great with everyone in the audition, and I believe I impressed them with my amazing fire-breathing skill on my resume.  Heck yes that's on my resume!  It's a conversation starter!

Three different scenes that dealt with the trials of dating, both good and bad, and included some vampires.  I knew this was a horror series, and they have some good stories up their sleeves.  I got some great feedback from the director, who said I brought something different to each scene that he hadn't seen yet that day, which is always exciting, and mentioned they were shooting all sorts of videos in the next 6 months, keeping very busy, so I'm hoping I'll get cast in something they've got coming up :)

Last night, I also went to Neil's Acoustic Show in North Hollywood, where he played an intimate set complete with rock songs, and even a cover of 'Purple Rain,' which had the crowd singing along and waving their hands in the air.  It was a story-telling series of songs performed really well!  I've definitely gotten more into live music in the past couple years and I really enjoy checking out new venues, bands, and musicians!

Neil's Cover of Prince's 'Purple Rain' 

Today I had to send in a video audition for a company based out of Washington.  I've sent them multiple auditions over the past year, and hopefully, one of these days, I'll be perfect for one.  I keep trying to wear them down ;)  It's hard to stay patient, but they continue to have me audition, so I know it's just a matter of time and effort!

It's been about a week since I started my blog and it keeps getting easier each day to write and share!  So feel free to share your thoughts, ideas, or anything that makes your day.  Thanks for taking an interest in a Midwestern girl with big dreams and aspirations <3

Updated Post!

I forgot to mention how thankful I am for my wonderful rehearsal partner, Neil!  I couldn't have done as well as I did, or been more prepared if I hadn't practiced with him, and got his perspective and ideas to take into my audition!  It's always so beneficial to get to rehearse with someone, so thank you :)

We have to get back to the island!

After months of suspense, excitement, laughs, and tears, it was time to watch the Series Finale of 'Lost' last night.  I had a little viewing party with some friends, and spent a good part of the night with happy tears running down my cheeks along with shock and a little confusion.  The End.

I got hooked the first episode I saw of 'Lost,' and couldn't wait to continue with all 6 seasons, and find out what was really going on with the island and all the other questions viewers alike have.  I am proud to say that I felt like I really understood what was going on throughout the series, and could predict certain happenings, before most would, but was still shocked to see an ending like this.  I got scared about halfway through watching all the episodes, that what if the ending wasn't a happy one, would it be worth taking the time to watch the show?  I was pleasantly surprised to see a very thoughtful ending, that gave the viewer the opportunity to take it as they wanted to, in whatever direction it would mean to the viewer.  It certainly left a lot for discussion, but as the show started in the beginning, there was the faith believers and the logical ones.  You had to decide which side you were on and I felt happy with my choice.

While there is so much more to be said, I'm going to leave this on a good note, and would happily discuss more with anyone who wants to chat!

Today I spent some time studying and analyzing a few scenes I have for an audition tomorrow.  I took Acting Classes in Los Angeles with Joseph Pearlman and really learned a lot from him.  I definitely feel like my Theatre Degree from Winona State University, along with the professors, prepared me well for looking at a script and knowing what I needed to do, to best study and be ready for whatever would be given to me.  Joseph really built on the ideas and foundation I had, and with his guidance, I feel much stronger about my audition technique and approach.  

The series I'm auditioning for tomorrow is a comedic horror short film series.  So it should be quite interesting, and I'm really looking forward to it!

A smile is worth a thousand words...

It's amazing what the power of a smile can do!  

While on my run today, I encountered a few people, and the warm fuzzy feeling I got in my tum tum, after waving and smiling, and seeing a person genuinely smile back at me, was priceless.  It definitely turned my day around and made that run so much more enjoyable.

My challenge to you...smile at someone you wouldn't normally take a second look at, and see how you feel after.  Pay it forward :)

New Year...New Songs.

So I had my Audition yesterday at the Break Media Offices, and lucky for me, was auditioning with J*, who always remembers me and has a smile on his face.   I got cast through him from my first audition there about a year ago, but had to turn it down because I was in Vegas working for PowerTV at SEMA.  He told me it was 'cache,' and I should be happy to be getting work!  I couldn't agree more :)

The audition went well and it was great to catch up with J* and meet E* who was working on the current project they were casting.  They were looking for a character that had an 'Audrina' feel (I asked, from 'The Hills'), yes, and a bimbo, but who could school her boyfriend with her sports knowledge.  Impressing my boyfriend with my sports knowledge was not a problem, playing a bimbo, slightly more difficult, and especially when you put the two together.  I gave it all I had, with a flirty wink, and at the least, I know I was memorable and look forward to more castings at the Break Offices.  Not to mention, I ran into one of my regulars from when I Bartended at Saint's & Sinner's (the best job I've had in my entire life...so far).  Such a small world!

Also had my first shift of 2012 at Gabe's, Hosting Karaoke.  New year, new songs.  So along with some of my old favorites, and requests from my Karaoke regulars, I sang a few new songs...Stevie Nicks & Kelly Clarkson.  All in all a great shift!

Practice Makes Perfect

Yesterday, Neil and I headed over to Bar Pico for their Open Mic Night (I occasionally fill in as a Bartender there on busy nights).  Neil is playing a show next week so he wanted to see the venue and check out the equipment.  He ended up playing a set at the request of the Promoter, and because the list was so short, ended up playing a second set.  After Neil's first song, he pointed to me, and said, With or Without You.  We hadn't sang or practiced the song in over 2 months, but for some reason as I got up there, I wasn't nervous at all, and we did an amazing job on the song!  I definitely look forward to working on more music together :)

On my flight to Wisconsin over Christmas, I actually wrote some lyrics, and want to continue doing that.  Definitely a good way to get out my emotions.

I've got an audition later this afternoon and I'm Hosting my first Karaoke Night of the New Year at Gabe's tonight.  Keep the creativity flowing...fingers crossed!

2012 and 28

This is my year...it's 2012, I'm 28, and I feel optimistic about new opportunities on the horizon!  Hopefully, it will be a successful and happy year for all.

I decided with this New Year to start something I've wanted to do for a while, write about what makes me happy, inspire others, and just tell funny stories.

My goal for this year is to do something creative or artistic every day.  At least once a day, whether it's acting, singing, dancing, writing, drawing, cooking, dreaming, etc.

I always pray for patience, but I've been going to yoga more regularly and I hope that will help me to find peace within myself.  And I want to smile more and make others smile :)

Driving down County Road P in Wisconsin.  Views like this make me smile :)

So in catching up with the past couple days, on New Year's Day, January 1st, I spent the majority of the day watching a marathon of The Cross-Fit Games, which seriously sucked me in, and also inspired me to start my week off on Monday with a strong work-out.  I succeeded in that!  Later that evening, I started watching a new Television Series, 'Prison Break.'  WOW!  I really enjoyed watching the actor's performances, which were incredible, and the show is so riveting, I can't help but compliment the excellent writing, as well as directing, and all the cast and crew.  I just have to say, one day...

On January 2nd, I started my journal for this year of 2012, where I'm also going to list the best part of my day, and of course, keep some things private, because other than that, I'm a pretty open book.  So the creativity flowed as I realized, it was time to start my blog.  What am I going to write about in this blog?  Well, one of the first things that comes to my mind is food.  I love it, if I could eat all day long, I would.  Love.  Every person should have it, and while sometimes it's hard to find, even though there are bad times that come with the good, it's so worth it.  The dreams I have and challenges I face.  We're all in this together.

So as the morning of January 3rd starts, I've designed a lay-out and am posting my first entry.  Here we go...it's going to be a crazy and exciting ride <3